Beneath The Surface

Day 30

I drove as slowly as I could down the highway. Dread sat in my stomach along with despair. We recived a text last night saying when Ivan had to be at the air port and which one. I had tossed and turned all night long so much I had even woken up Ivan a few times. As much as he tried to comfort and sooth me my anxiety still won over resulting in me getting little sleep.

I glanced at Ivan. He looked just as tired as I was, but tried to his it. He wanted to stay strong for me. However, I could still tell he didn't want to leave as much as I didn't want him to leave. It wasn't in his facial expression, but rather his amthest eyes.

"Alfred, I know you don't want me to go, but I will miss my flight if you don't pick up speed. That will only cause trouble for both of us. The other drivers are getting irritated with you as well." He said gently.

"Right, sorry." I said picking up speed.

"Fredka. Do you want me to drive?" He offered for the nineteenth time.

"No, I'm fine. We're almost there anyways." I shook my head.

"It pains me to see you like this. Especially because their is nothing I can do about it." He said solemnly.

"Like what?"

"Upset, in pain, filled with anxiety. Scared." He listed.

"It's just...I have just gotten you and now you're leaving again. It has never been easy for me to let the people I care about go. If I had it my way you, Mattie, Katyusha, and Natalia would all be in my house, safe and sound forever. I want to keep you all near me so I can protect you. But that's not possible. I don't want you to leave." I sighed pulling into the airport parking lot. "What if I never see you again?"

"Is that what you are afraid of?" He asked.

"People have a bad habit of leaving and promising to return, and not. That's why I clung to England for all those years. He would leave for months and then come back, if only for a day or two. But everyone else never come back. If I let you go now, will you come back?" I asked his softly.

"Of course Fredka. Not even death will stop me from giving you a final goodbye." He said with all the sincerity he could, looking me in the eye.

"Good." I said giving him a kiss.

"Come now Fredka. Do you wish to see us off?" He asked getting out and picking up Lampushkas carrier.

"Yea. Hero would hate me if I didn't let her say goodbye." I got out and grabbed the cats.

I popped open the trunk and pulled out his bag. He took.it from me since I had both of the 'fluffy' kitties. The walk inside was quiet. We got to the luggage place where Lampushka would be placed.

"Sir's, all pets must be in their own carrier." The lady told us pointing to the two cats and one carrier.

"This one isn't leaving, she's just saying goodbye." I told her.

"Okay. Just give Arnold the carrier when you're done." She told us before going to help someone else.

Ivan put his bag down and helped me put Lampushka in his carrier. When we closed the door he looked out at us completely heart broken. He switched between Ivan, me, and finally Hero before letting out the sades meow I've ever heard. From my arms Hero meowed back just as heartbrokenly.

"I know, I know. You don't want to say goodbye, but you have too." I told them regretfully. I gave Hero a scratch behind the ear. "Say goodbye Hero. But don't worry, you'll see him again soon."

She looked at me with big sad blue eyes before looking back at him. "Meow."

"Meow! Meow. Pppuurrrr."

"Meow! Pppuurrrr. Pppuuurrrr."

"Bye Lampushka. I loved having you around little buddy." I reached in bewteen the bards and gave him a sratch under his chin.

"Here. Make sure he gets on safe. I don't want him going somewhere he shouldn't." Ivan smiled at the guy.

"S-sure th-thing s-s-sir!" He studered out nervously, gently taking the cat carrier.

*Flight 3 for Moscow, Russia will be leaving in ten minutes. Please make you way to flight 3 now. Thank you.*

"That's my flight Fredka." Ivan said softly.

"I know." I looked down. "Don't say goodbye. Everyone who does never comes back."

"I won't, so how about a kiss instead." He reached down and captured my lips in the most passionate kiss yet.

My eyes fluttered shut and I pressed as close to him as I could with a cat in my arms. His arms wrapped around my waist and one of mine whent around his neck. It was cast or lust filled. It wasn't small or filled with clashing tounges. It was long, sweet, and filled with silent promises. When he pulled back it left me filled with both love and hope.

"I'll see you in about one week with my sisters." He kissed my cheek.

"You better bring them. I wanna see my new big sisters." I said with a bright smile. My bright sapphire eyes then took on a mischievous look. "See you later, commie bastard."

"Capitalistic pig." He grinned, deep amthest brightening. Then he left.

I watched him disapear into the crowd. It took a minute since he was taller then most, but he soon was out if sight. I stood there for a minute more before turning around and leaving. In my arms I still held my sweet little Hero. I put her in the passenger seat and started the car.

"Well Hero, looks like it's just you and me again." I smiled down at her.

"Meow!"

"Oh, right! You, me, and the unborn kittens. My mistake." I laughed and pulled out. For the first time in a very long time I'm heading back home with hope and love in my heart.

Time is an amazing thing. If given enough of it things will change, for better or worse. They always change whether we want then too or not. One month was all that was needed too not only completely change my life, but save it as well. To make it even better then I had hoped for before.

Now, that doesn't mean with more time things won't go back down. Their will always be things we can't predict or control. And we can't change the past either when things do go horribly wrong. However, things could also go back up. Things could get so much better then we ever though when we're stuck in the dark. That alone is enough to keep us moving forward.

One month was all I needed to get my life back together. I'm getting help for my depression and anxiety. I at last got my brother back. I gained a brand new family with two new big sisters. Most importantly, I finally got the love of my life and my best friend back. All it took was one month, one fight, and the courage to finally let my real feelings show and speak up.

When they all come to my house for a week, I wonder what else time will change.

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LAST CHAPTER!
I hit wan to say thank you to all of of you for commenting, voting, or even just reading. Seeing that was enough to give me the drive to finish this book.

For those who are wondering, the next book will be call Seven Days Of Thanksgiving. I WILL have at least the first chapter posted by the end of this week. With luck I will get the next book done before Christmas so I can start on the third.

Now for the references! I give credit where credit is due.
1: Alice in Gardenland.
This is a refrence to a Rusame game you can find on YouTube. If I figure out how to make a link I will.
2: Art is a broad term.
Satellite City reference. This is a conversation between Lucy and Shuck. I suggest you give the serries a go, but not if you're squeamish.
Those are my references and the challenge is officially over. Sorry, no one got them.